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Juventus have appointed former Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti, who will take charge of the Italian giants starting from this weekend when the Bianconeri will face Cremonese away on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Spalletti was called by La Vecchia Signora after a disappointing first part of the season that led to the sacking of Igor Tudor after the defeat against Lazio.

Tudor, who also replaced Thiago Motta earlier this year, became the third manager in less than 18 months to be sacked after the first one of Massimiliano Allegri, in May 2024. Spalletti signed a contract until the summer of 2026 but will also have an option to extend his deal at the club in case Juventus clinch Champions League qualification. After a disappointing spell with the Italian national team, where he led the Azzurri at Euro 2024, the iconic Italian manager returns to Serie A to take charge of one of the most prestigious clubs in world football. Here's what we can expect from him at Juventus this season: 


A tactical revolution

The most intriguing tactical aspect of Spalletti's appointment will be his immediate decisions regarding the defense. Over his successful managerial career, the Italian coach always played with a four-back defense, deploying a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, depending on his teams. Juventus have relied on a three-man defense for quite some time, occasionally switching to a back four, a variation that has also been used at times this season. Spalletti is expected to make a decision very soon on this matter, and from that, he can build his attacking team, with players like Kenan Yildiz and Dusan Vlahovic expected to benefit from the new manager's tactical ideas. Juventus struggled over the last year in finding tactical solutions, and this is something Spalletti can quickly change. 

How will this impact USMNT's Weston McKennie?

Talking about tactical changes, McKennie is a player who can also benefit from the appointment of Spalletti. The American international, who also has a deal expiring in the summer of 2026, will have to adapt to a new coaching mentality and a new staff but he was always abe to prove himself in similar situations, even after some challenging moments. Spalletti will need a player like McKennie in the midfield, but also potentially as a backup winger when needed, as McKennie already has done multiple times. It's clear that a new manager brings new ideas and potentially it can also affect a player negatively, but the versatility of the USMNT player can be something Spalletti could rely on in the short term. 

Few months to deliver 

Spalletti's contract will run until the summer 2026 with an option to extend in case of Champions League qualification. This might be a good news for Juventus fans as Spalletti will have to deliver if he wants to stay in charge next season. On top of a tactical revolution and a different mentality, Spalletti will be forced to bring results in the short term. One of the club's most iconic mottos says that 'the only thing that matters is winning,' yet in recent years Juventus have seemed to have lost that mindset. Spalletti, however, understands exactly what that means and he won't waste time proving whether he's the right man for the job.